St Lucia is a breathtaking little Island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea, part of the West Indies on the boundary of the Atlantic Ocean.
It has a rich and previously unknown history which makes this place not only a scenic place to live but also an association of great historical pride.
Many people who are tired of the fast-paced life of the modern age and want to settle somewhere far away untouched by the vast and consuming commercial culture, dream of selling down in St Lucia.
But great demand and previously unknown routes of importing vital produce and technology must make the cost of living in St Lucia quite high right?
Let us figure it out.
Is St Lucia expensive?
St Lucia’s cost of living as compared to the global average is 1.1 times more expensive.
This means that for practical purposes any individual from a metropolitan city who wishes to settle down in this beautiful rustic country will find it rather cheap.
Since most of our well-known cities around the world have the cost of living expenses quite higher than the one in St Lucia.
The average salary at St Lucia in comparison to the US dollars is $1415 which can cover the living cost for one person for 1.5 months.
Cost of food in St Lucia
St Lucia is a place that welcomes and readily makes available good food ingredients regularly for almost all of its inhabitants.
This great food distribution also depends on the fact that the country is quite sparsely populated with a population of only 179k.
Saint Lucia’s cost of living with the inclusion of eating and dieting outside obviously has to be a bit more, since eating out is often a luxury choice.
St Lucia has a famous dining culture with several internationally acclaimed dishes and a cooking style that is incomparable to any other part of the world.
And foreign cuisine is also appreciated and quite well consumed in the largest cities of St Lucia, the famous cuisines being from France, India, Japan, China, and South Korea.
Eating out on an average day will cost around $29 in a mid-range to the authentic brand restaurant, whereas a similar meal from a street food corner or in an inexpensive one will only cost around $5 for two people.
Fast food chain restaurants can cost around $50.
Grocery shopping in St Lucia can look something like this.
500 grams of boneless chicken breast will cost someone $16.
Bread costs around $5 per day for 2 people.
One dozen eggs cost $9.
Beer costs $3 while 500g of cheese costs $30.
1kg of tomatoes cost $5 but a similar weight of potatoes cost $10.
1kg of apples costs $23. and 1 liter of milk is priced at $10.
Rent and utility costs in St Lucia
Rent and utility for 2 persons in terms of St Lucia living cost are $1000 and $420 respectively.
Internet per month is priced at $181. Cleaning help can be procured at the hourly rate of $10, which makes it quite cheap in comparison to many other places in the Western world.
A General stash of medicine and toiletry can together cost two individuals around $270.
For renting and tenancy the cities are twice as expensive as the countryside.
There are many furnished options available for renting for new immigrants.
Buying property in the country of St Lucia is also quite cheap, a local home priced at somewhere around $2000000.
Transportation costs in St Lucia
One person living in St Lucia can face an additional charge of $95 for transportation around the Island country.
Local transport costs around $0.9 for each individual per fare whereas subscribing to a monthly ticket can make it a little cheaper at $148.
1 Litre of gas costs an individual $1.4. An 8 km taxi ride will be charged $22.8.
St. Lucia has two airports and one seaport.
The airports directly connect this country to places around the US, Canada, and Europe. The main mode of transport is the minibus.
Taxis are quite easily available. However, the fare is higher than in most states of the US.
But it is not that much of a stress for travelers since distances on the island are very short.
Other expenses in St Lucia
The cost of living in St Lucia is bound to have many other expenses to count, just like in most other places across the world.
Let us look at some of the most important external expenses without which living in any place or region is virtually impossible.
Clothes in St Lucia are prized as follows.
- Levis jeans roughly at $160
- High Street store summer dresses at $145
- High Street brand sport shoes at $150
- Business leather shoes around $315 roughly
Two tickets to the movies will be priced at somewhere around $30 for the evening show.
Going clubbing downtown can cost around $10 per drink. A simple drink in a neighborhood pub will cost you half that money.
One month of gym membership for one individual is priced at $100.
Primary School Education fee for 1 year can safely be averaged at $1862. One month’s fee at a preschool is $164.
A cappuccino at a cafe can be bought for $2.5.
On average students going for higher education can be expected to spend around $4000 to $10000 every semester. Insurance is an additional cost in this aspect.
Total monthly expense
The total monthly cost of living in St Lucia for one adult individual who is not pursuing education at present is $1050.
Subtracting the rent would mean that expense in curd in utilities and perishable items for one adult person every month is $625.
Living cost comparisons to other countries
If you are thinking of shifting to St Lucia and starting brand new in this beautiful island country for the better, chances are you would be expecting something of a reduction in expenses in your life as well.
To what extent this reduction happens depends on which country you belong to. Different countries performed differently in terms of cost of living compared with St Lucia.
St Lucia vs the United States
The cost of living in St Lucia as compared to the United States is half. The cost of living is $1050 for one adult person in the former it is $2060 in the latter country.
St Lucia vs China
St Lucia happens to be more expensive than China. The cost of living in China is only $766.
St Lucia vs Japan
The cost of living in St Lucia vs Japan speaks in favor of our Island country although the difference is very minimal. The average cost of living in Japan in this case is held to be $1200.
St Lucia vs Spain
Spain has quite a similar cost of living to that of St Lucia, with the difference only bringing $100 per month.
St Lucia vs France
The cost of living in St Lucia in comparison to that of France is cheaper by $350.
FAQs
Is St Lucia cheap to live in?
St Lucia is cheaper to live in than most cities in North America and Europe. The countryside of St Lucia is especially affordable.
What is the average income in St Lucia?
The average income in St Lucia is $1415 for most individual persons.
Why are flights to St Lucia so expensive?
The location of St Lucia – located in the popular region of the West Indies – makes it an expensive place to fly to. Moreover, since most of the flights are crowded with affluent travelers from North America and Western Europe who are looking to spend money on holidays, anything related to tourism in St Lucia is very expensive.
How much money do I need to retire in St Lucia?
A donation of $1,000,000 and an economic investment of $3,000,000 is necessary to procure citizenship in St Lucia. Along with this, you will require enough money to go forward with your everyday life as stated above in this article. This money would depend on your living standards.
How much do homes cost in St Lucia?
Local homes in St Lucia cost around $200,000 and a villa can cost over $1,000,000.
Conclusion
Whether or not a country is a correct fit for you is quite a difficult question to answer. This is because there are a lot of cultural and personal changes that you will have to account for when shifting to a completely new area.
There are factors of climate, recreation, laws, and policies, political freedom as well as international travel to think of. Hence, decide careful thought and consideration, taking as much time as you might need.
